Norman Tourism

Visit Norman - Best of Norman

Norman /ˈnɔːrmən/ is a city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma 20 miles (30 km) south of downtown Oklahoma City in its metropolitan area. The population was 110,925 at the 2010 census. Norman's estimated population of 118,040 in 2014 makes it the third-largest city in Oklahoma, and the city serves as the county seat of Cleveland County. Norman was settled during the Land Run of 1889, which opened the former Unassigned Lands of Indian Territory to American pioneer settlement. The city was named in honor of Abner Norman, the area's initial land surveyor, and was formally incorporated on May 13, 1891. Economically the city has prominent higher education and related research industries, as it is the home to the University of Oklahoma, the largest university in the state, with approximately 30,000 students enrolled. The university is well known for its sporting events by teams under the banner of the nickname "Sooners," with over 80,000 people routinely attending football games. The university is home to several museums, including the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, which contains the largest collection of French Impressionist art ever given to an American university, as well as the Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. The National Weather Center, located in Norman, houses a unique collection of university, state, federal, and private sector organizations that work together to improve the understanding of events related to the Earth's atmosphere. Norman lies within Tornado Alley, a geographic region where tornadic activity is particularly frequent and intense. The Oklahoma City metropolitan area, including Norman, is the most tornado-prone area in the world. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC), a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is located at the NWC. SPC forecasts severe storm and tornado outbreaks nationwide. Additionally, research is conducted at the co-located National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), which includes field research and operates various experimental weather radars. In 2008 CNN's Money Magazine ranked Norman as the sixth best small city within the United States in which to live.

Named as an ode to honor the then area's initial land surveyor, Abner Norman, the city of Norman is home to some of the most influential educational and research institutes. The University of Oklahoma being one of the main institutes. This university itself is a major draw of the Norman tourism, given the fact that it holds various sports tournaments and even two very important museums of the state, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

Apart from these two museums, visit Norman for an impressive blend of entertainment, outdoors and very unexpected spas! The Riverwind Casino is a remarkable recreation center in Norman. It spans across an area of 219,000 square feet, making it the biggest casino in Oklahoma! The National Weather Center offers very informative tours, great for the kids. Other must-see attractions in Norman include Lake Thunderbird State Park, Historic Campus Corner District, and the Legends Lobby at the Barry Switzer Center among some more.